Pristina one step ahead of Belgrade

The decision by the Kosovo parliament to adopt the platform for the dialogue with Belgrade has provoked reactions grom Serbian officials.

President Aleksandar Vucic has called an “urgent” session of the National Security Council – a day after Pristina made its decision on Thursday; director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric said that Pristina’s move “could be the final nail in the coffin of the dialogue” with Belgrade.

According to Djuric’s, Pristina has “demonstrated to the whole world that”, from its perspective, the dialogue is over. Djuric has recalled that Pristina has never fulfilled its commitment with regard to creating the Community of Serb Municipalities, as it was stipulated in the 2013 Brussels Agreement.

Another “blow” for the dialogue was the introduction of customs taxes on Serbian goods in 2018, Djuric said. He labelled the taxes, which have been condemned by the EU, as an “anti-civilized” move.

“With this final nail they have sent a clear message that this is the end of the dialogue“, he concluded.

Djuric claimed that president Vucic has been warning EU high representative Federica Mogherini that Pristina could adopt the platform. “And now, when this act directed against dialogue, peace and the future is adopted, the only answer of these people (EU) is silence”, he went on.

Djuric has singled out Pristina’s demands for Kosovo recognition and paying war reparations, which are parts of the platform, as unacceptable for Serbia.

At the same time, Dusan Janjic (photo), head of the Forum for Ethnic Relations, said that Pristina was “one step ahead” of Belgrade, after adopting the platform. Serbian government should reconsider why it has not made a similar document, Janjic told Beta news agency.

“From the perspective of Brussels and Washington, Pristina now has significant advantage“, Janjic explained, adding that the adoption of the document was an obligation agreed in Brussels.

“Pristina now has its political platform adopted by the parliament… and supported by all opposition parties. Unfortunately, Belgrade does not have this”, Janjic concluded./IBNA